Sewage disposal apparatus



United States Patent 3,098,144 SEWAGE DISPOSAL APPARATUS Emmett 0. Dale,Sidney, Ohio, assignor to Airstream, Inc, Jackson Center, Ohio, acorporation of Delaware Filed June 15, 1961, Ser. No. 117,228 1 Claim.(Cl. 219-19) This invention relates to a sewage disposal apparatus andhis particular applicability to such an apparatus as applied toself-contained toilets such as are customarily found in house trailers,boats, and similar localities where connection to a sewage system isdifficult or impossible.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of an electricallypowered sewage burner incorporating a blower, and a catalyzer grid forremoving offensive odors.

As conducive to a clearer understanding of this invention, it may herebe pointed out that mechanical sealed toilet bowls and toilet bowlstands have been utilized in trailers or the like for many years. Anobject of the instant invention is the provision, in association withsuch a standard mechanical toilet, of a small tank provided with anelectrical burner grid, which will hold approximately five gallons ofsewage, and which may be operated at a desired time and place in orderto dispose of the sewage in the tank.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a burner .ordisposal unit of this character which does not necessitate theemployment of separate containers, or a separate bowl, as utilized inpreviously known items but wherein the sewage is dropped directly into atank, and burned in the same tank.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a thermal cut-outswitch in association with such a device which will preclude theoverheating of the electric grid in such manner as to prevent thepassage of undue heat to the toilet stand or bowl.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means inassociation with such a device whereby the toilet may be connected to astandard sewer when such is available.

Still other objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangementsof parts, and features of construction, all as will be more fullypointed out hereinafter and disclosed in the accompanying drawingswherein:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic view, partially in section, of a disposalunit constructed in accordance with the instant invention applied to astandard mechanical toilet.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the valveassembly of the toilet.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings.

Having reference now to the drawings in detail, there is generallyindicated at a standard mechanical toilet bowl which is provided with anoutlet 11 which is sealed by a valve member 12. The valve member 12 ismounted on a valve stem 13 which in turn is carried by an arm 14 whichis provided exteriorly of the bowl with a pivotal connection 18 to a rod19. The rod 19 in turn is pivotally secured as at 20 to an operatinglever 21 which is pivoted to the bowl as at 22, and which is providedwith a foot pedal 23. Upon depression of the toot pedal 23 the valve ismoved from the position shown in full lines in FIG. 1 to the dotted lineposition of FIG. 2 dumping the contents through a suitable opening inthe floor 24 of the trailer or the like. Beneath the opening in thefloor there is provided a tank generally indicated at 25, which ispreferably enclosed in an insulated case 26, and which is provided withan outlet 27 which is normally closed by a plate 28 and screen 29, thelatter being pivoted as at 30 to permit opening when it is desired toconnect the outlet 27 to a standard sewage disposal system. The lowerportion of the tank 25 contains an electric grid 31 which 3,698,144Patented July 16, 1963 is supplied with power through lines 32 and 33which extend to a conventional electric timer 34 which in turn issupplied with power through lines 35 and 36. An air blower 37 is alsoprovided driven by an electric motor 38 which in turn is supplied withpower through lines 39 and 40 which are connected to a thermal switch tobe more fully described hereinafter.

From blower 38 a pipe 41 extends to an air inlet 42 in the base of thetoilet bowl below the valve 12, the air thence being directed over thegrid 31 through the opening in the floor 24. An escape line 46 isprovided through which air, together with the gases of combustion fromthe burning sewage, escapes through an electrical catalyzer 47, to asuitable outlet 43. Catalyzer 47 is energized through wires 49 and 50,which wires are connected respectively to the wires 39 and 40. It isnoted that catalyzer 47 is located above the toilet flood level toinduce a convection draft in the exhaust stack 46 s-uflicient to createan air circulation through the air intake 41 to the burning tank 25 andout the exhaust stack 46. Under such conditions the blower can beeliminated or turned off except under exceptional conditions.

In some instances the residual heat in the burner 31 may be greater thanin the catalyzer and if both are turned off at the same time anundesirable reverse flow may be set up. In order to obviate this aconventional time delay switch (not shown) may be provided in thecatalyzer so that it will continue to retain heat until the main burner31 has cooled off.

A thermal switch 52 is provided interiorly of the tank, and is connectedby means of lines 53 and 54 to the lines 3Q and 40 so that a circuit maybe established to the blower 37 and the catalyzer 47 independently ofthe circuit to the grid 31. The circuit is completed through wires 55and 56 which extend respectively to the power wires 35 and 36 in advanceof the timer, so that when the main burner element is cut off by thetimer, the blower and catalyzer will continue to operate for areasonable period of time.

In the use and operation of the device when it becomes desirable todispose of the material held in the tank, the timer switch is turned tothe position which corresponds roughly to the amount of material in thetank. The grid 31 is immediately energized, it being pointed out thatthe burner element is of the conventional resistor type such as used inan electric range, but of the submersible kind, which in turn raises thetemperature of the material in tank 25 and the air space thereabove. Airfrom the blower is introduced immediately under the toilet seat thusmaintaining the toilet seat in cool condition and circulated over thetop of the sewage material and out through the exhaust line 46. Thiselevation of temperature within the tank 25 causes normally open thermalswitch 52 to close thus completing the circuit to blower 37 andcatalyzer grid 47. As the material is brought to a boil the vapors arecarried oii through the exhaust system and over the catalyzer grid 47,which is of conventional stainless steel nickel material which changesthe molecular structure of the exhaust to render the odors inoffensive.

After the liquid is boiled off, the solids are deposited out on thesurface of the burner element 31, and thus begin to char and burn. It isprobable that this material would never burst into open flame, but isreduced to a fine ash by charring. The air from the blower iscontinually forced over the fluids and solids during the cycle carryingotf the vapor and exhaust smoke through the catalyzer grid 47.

When the timer switch shuts off the main burner element through thelines 32 and 63, the blower 37 and the catalyzer 47 continue to runsince power is drawn through the thermal switch 52 in theabove-described lines, until a thermal switch 52 cools sufliciently toreturn to its normally open position, thus de-energizing both the blower37 and the catalyzer 47. This also prevents residual heat from creepingup into the toilet control valve and otherwise possibly damaging wiringor the rubber in the valve and the sealing member of the valve.

From the foregoing it is now apparent that there is herein provided animproved (lCClIlC powered burning sewage disposal apparatus whichaccomplishes all the objects of this invention, and others, includingmany advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as manymodifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that all material herein is to beinterpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

In a sewage disposal apparatus, the combination of a mechanical sealedtoilet bowl stand, a tank underlying said stand, a burner grid in saidtank, a mechanical timer switch, an electrical connection between saidtimer switch and said burner grid, a blower, an air connection betweensaid blower and said tank, an exhaust vent, an electrical catalyzer insaid exhaust vent, a thermal switch in said tank, an electricalconnection between said thermal switch and said blower, an electricalconnection between said thermal switch and said catalyzcr, said thermalswitch being maintained in an open condition below a predeterminedtemperature and closing when heated above said predeterminedtemperature.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,290,615 McGary Jan. 7, 1919 2,732,564 Potts Jan. 31, 1956 2,771,533Osberg Nov. 20, 1956 2,808,495 Cole Oct. 1, 1957 2,823,626 Raucher Feb.18, 1958 2,855,494 Kuebler Oct. 7, 1958 2,862,095 Scofield Nov. 25, 19583,020,559 Blankenship et al. Feb. 13, 1962

